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Papers · the UK
Updated September 2026

🪪 I lost my passport, ID card or driving licence in the country — what now?

Direct answer

Report it — to Police — 101 / report online (999 in an emergency) (101) if stolen, and in most countries the loss must be declared to the police or the issuing office anyway; the report flags the document so it cannot be used by someone else and is required for a replacement. Then apply for the new document at HMRC — National Insurance number / General Register Office (0800 141 2079) — municipality or the issuing authority — with the report, a photo and another proof of identity. If a bank card was in the same wallet, block it first at Your bank — card and payment line.

Call firstPolice — 101 / report online (999 in an emergency)
Report toHMRC — National Insurance number / General Register Office
If that failsYour bank — card and payment line

🗣️ What to say

"I [lost / had stolen] my [passport / ID card / driving licence], number [if known], on [date] at [place]. I want to declare it and obtain the confirmation I need to apply for a replacement."

🪜 Step by step

  1. Block cards firstThe bank card takes seconds to misuse; the passport takes days.
  2. Declare itPolice for theft; loss declaration at the police or the issuing office. Keep the confirmation.
  3. Replacement: HMRC — National Insurance number / General Register OfficeAppointment, photo, the declaration, another ID or a witness. Emergency documents exist for travel within days.
  4. Watch for misuseSomeone may open accounts with a copy: see the identity-theft page for the warning signs.
  5. Found it again?A reported document is usually invalid even if found; hand it in. Travelling on a cancelled passport gets you stopped at the border.

📇 All contacts

Police — 101 / report online (999 in an emergency)Local police for any crime that is not fraudBurglary, theft, threats, stalking📞 101🔗 www.police.uk
HMRC — National Insurance number / General Register OfficeNI number, birth/marriage certificates; no address registration in the UKOn arrival and for certificates📞 0800 141 2079🔗 www.gov.uk/apply-national-insurance-number
Your bank — card and payment lineRecall a transfer, chargeback, block a card, freeze the accountImmediately, 24/7 — the number is on the back of your card
Your local councilNoise, waste, roads, housing standards, licensing, lost propertyFor anything the council handles🔗 www.gov.uk/find-local-council

❓ Frequently asked

I am a foreigner and lost my home country's passport

Report here, then your embassy or consulate issues an emergency document. Your residence permit may need re-linking to the new passport.

Can I fly with the police report?

Not internationally. Domestic and some Schengen flights accept another ID plus the report — ask the airline.

How much and how long?

Fees per document; ordinary replacement takes one to several weeks, express versions exist for travel.

📎 Sources

Last checked: 2026-09-26

🔎 Common searches

Recognise your own search? The answer above covers all of these.

  • “lost passport what to do the UK”
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🧭 Is this still correct?

We check this information carefully, but phone numbers, websites and rules change — and sometimes we get something wrong. Spotted a mistake or a change? Let us know below.

🔗 Related questions

🆔Identity theft→🛂Passport lost abroad→📜Apostille→🔢National ID number→

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